Every day The Baptist Children's Village (BCV) sees the pain of child abuse. That pain is a reality seen all too often when caring for children ages 2-20 on seven BCV residential campuses across the state of Mississippi. The Baptist Children's Village and Mississippi Baptist churches have worked closely together for over a century to provide safety and healing for children. Now that relationship is affording new opportunities to make a difference for children as The Baptist Children's Village, along with fellow event sponsor, Christian Action Commission of the Mississippi Baptist Convention, and event host, Morrison Heights Baptist Church, come together to provide Sexual Abuse Awareness Training to help equip pastors, church staff and lay leaders with the skills and resources they need to keep children safe.

"Reacting to abuse is not enough. The Baptist Children's Village wants to be proactive in the prevention of all abuse which we know and understand can cause life-long pain. We are offering this event to educate and provide pastors and church leaders with the facts and tools necessary to prevent abuse in their communities across Mississippi," said Chrystelle Thames, BCV Director of Public Relations.

The Sexual Abuse Awareness Training is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Morrison Heights Baptist Church in Clinton, Mississippi. Attorney Gregory S. Love, JD of Fort Worth, Texas, is the keynote speaker. Love is a co-founder and director of MinistrySafe and Abuse Prevention Systems, entities dedicated to sexual abuse awareness and prevention. He will identify commonly held misconceptions about sexual abuse and abusers; and provide factual information concerning abuser characteristics. He will also address responding to and reporting abuse. In addition, he will outline recommended elements of an effective safety system for church ministries including skillful screening, tailored policies and procedures, appropriate criminal background checks and systems for monitoring and oversight. Others on the program include Brad Eubank, pastor of First Baptist Church, Petal, Mississippi and Angie McLeod Williams, Director or Permanency Planning & Placement, Division of Family and Children's Services with the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

Rev. Eubank has served in churches for over 25 years as a Student Minister and Pastor. He is also a sex abuse survivor who will share his story of God's incredible grace and healing. Mrs. Williams will help participants understand their legal obligation to report abuse and will educate them about how to report, what information is needed to make a report, and what happens after they hang up the phone.

Eubank said, "My prayer is that by sharing about God's grace in my experience, I will be able to help other victims, and their families, find help, healing and hope; and that I will be able to save and protect children by empowering those around them."

The event is free and open to all denominational church staff and lay leaders. Registration is required to attend and lunch is included. To register or get more information about the training, email The Baptist Children's Village, Public Relations Department or call 601-952-2422.